SKYLAB
America's first experimental space station. Designed for long
duration mission, Skylab program objectives were twofold: To prove that humans
could live and work in space for extended periods, and to expand our
knowledge of solar astronomy well beyond Earth-based observations. Successful
in all respects despite early mechanical difficulties, three three-man crews
occupied the Skylab workshop for a total of 171 days, 13 hours. It was the site
of nearly 300 scientific and technical experiments: medical experiments on
humans' adaptability to zero gravity, solar observations, and detailed Earth
resources experiments. The empty Skylab spacecraft returned to Earth July 11,
1979 scattering debris over the Indian Ocean and the sparsely settled region of
Western Australia.